Fountain paintbrush



Nov. 20, 1934. M. PILGRIM FOUNTAIN PAINTBRUSH Filed Jan. 29, 1934 lNVENTOR jyayze 0% fizzy/2'71: BY

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE 1,981,067 FOUNTAIN PAINTBRUSH Maylech Pilgrim, New York, N. Y. Application January 29, 1934, Serial No. 708,756 6 Claims. (o1. 15-138) This invention relates to fountain brushes, and has for a general object the provision of such a brush particularly adapted for use in the application of paint, varnish, stain or like fluid to fiat surfaces, as for example in the production of relatively broad straight-line borders of uniform width around the margins of fragments of linoleum, thereby making ordinarily waste scraps of that material available as scatter rugs, it being understood, however, that I contemplate the utilization of my improved fountain brush in any field for which it may be adapted by the nature of the improvements herein'disclosed.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide such a brush with more efiicient means than those conventionally employed for containing, feeding and applying the supply of liquid material, including a scoop-shaped applicator device fitted with a reservoir adapted to serve also as a handle, and with a felted applicator member of novel form.

Among other objects of the invention is the provision of improved means to conduct fluid from the reservoir directly to the felted applicator device in such a brush, and to provide for such a conduit a controlling valve having an operating member which also serves to hold removably in place a cover for the scoop,'being readily accessible beyond the confines of said cover for manual operation, both to permit regulation of the fluid feed and to permit removal of the cover when access to the body cavity of the scoop is desired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel guiding means for use in applying a border of desired width to the margin of such a material as that first mentioned, such means taking the form of a swinging attachment mounted pivotally upon the side wall of the scoop member and adapted to be moved downward below the plane of the bottom of the scoop, or alternatively to be swung up above that plane, the lowered guide permitting the brush to be moved accurately around the margin of a sheet of linoleum, for example, by reason of the engagement of the guide with the edge of the sheet, and without the need for special skill or care on the part of the operator.

A cognate object of the invention is to provide a fountain brush of this character which can be used for accurate operations such as lettering of signs, but can also be used with equal facility for free-hand work and for stenciling.

The above, and other, features of the invention are illustrated and described fully in the-accompanying drawing and specification, and are pointed out in the claims.

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a fountain brush in the construction of which the invention has been embodied, the same being shown in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical, longitudinal section, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cover plate removed. I

In a now-preferred embodiment of the inven tion selected for illustration and description, the part designated by the reference character 11 is a reservoir for the fluid to be applied by the fountain brush of which the reservoir forms part, such as paint, varnish orstain, or like fiuid materials, as for example, paste or other adhesive, water for moistening operations, etc., it being understood that this reservoir will be of a material, size and shape suitable for its intended use; in the instance illustrated being'shown as cylindrical, and adapted to serve also as the brush handle. The reservoir 11 is secured by suitable means, as for example, by a coupling nipple 12 and nut 13 to the applicator member of the fountain brush, which, in pursuance of the invention is constituted by a scoop-shaped member having a closed end wall 14 through which a port 15 gives access to fluid from the reservoir 11 into the body cavity 16 of the applicator body, surrounded by upright side walls 17 and 18, and a flat bottom 19 terminating in a straight lip 20, defining a mouth opening 21, the sides of the preferably cut back toward the lip, as illustrated. Within the body cavity is the applicator brush member 22, which in pursuance of another important object of the invention is formed of suitably absorbent material, such as felt or a felted substance, so placed as to be substantially co.-v extensive with the bottom 19 of the scoop-shaped member and arranged to protrude from the mouth in the form of a tongue 23, resting on the lip 20 and having a tip 24 which terminates in a plane surface 25 inclined at an angle to the plane of the bottom 19 of the scoop-shaped body. This arrangement adapts the fountain brush to be operated by holding it at an angle to the plane of the surface under treatment, as illustrated in Fig. '1. The rubbing contact draws the paint, stain or other supply of liquid from the tip 25 by capillary attraction. I

In the novel preferred form of this brush member, the latter is made of a block of felt having a rearward cleft 26, the upper portion 27 of the cleft block being folded over the bottom portion and constituting at its free margin 28 a bevelled extension of the brush tip, lying in the same inclined plane therewith. I

The cleft receives fluid from the body cavity of the scoopesh'aped applicator member, an'd'in' order to insure a steady, regulated supply directly from the reservoir to the innermost region of the cleft, for the purpose of maintaining this felted brush always saturated with an ample supply of device with the mouth being- 2 the tr'eatingfluid, I provide a conduit 29 connected into the port nipple 12 by its threaded end 30 and having a'wide distributing nozzle 31, with spaced ports 3l It will be understood that more than one piece of the felted or absorbent material may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Suitable means for controlling the flow of fluid are provided, taking preferably the form of a valve 32 having an operating stem 33, the valve stem having preferably a knurled head 34 which may desirably serve also as means to hold removably in place a cover plate 35 which confines the forward end of the brush member in place and prevents escape of fluid from the body cavity. The cover is mounted slidingly' in ways 43. C

The knurled head 34 can be manipulated readily for the purpose of regulating the flow of fluid or unscrewed to remove the valve stem and permit removal of the cover plate.

As already indicated, an important intended use of the novel fountain brush disclosed is to produce, borders along the margins of linoleum or like floor coverings, and as a means to permit a user to performthis operation rapidly and accurately, my invention includes the provision of a guide member 36 having a foot 3'7 which can be extended below the bottom plane of the device, at a suitable region to extend alongside, and bear against, the edge 38 of the linoleum, so that when the brush is drawn along the margin, a

well-defined border of stain or the like is produced, of uniform width, and without requiring special skill or training ofthe user. I

This guide member is secured suitably to the outer side wall 18 of the applicator, as by a screw 39, which if desired may be used as a pivot around which to swing the guide into, or out of, operative position. A set-screw 40 serves as means to fasten the guide in the selected position. I When the guide is in its inoperative position, the fountain brush may be utilized for free-hand use in the conventional manner, and this may be facilitated by removingthe guide completely from its position on the body of the brush. The knurled nut 39 facilitates such removal and attachment of the guide. An air-port is preferably provided, as shown at 41, with a suitable closure plug 42. I

In operation, the reservoir is filled with fluid through its open end 11, and the device as a whole is then manipulated in the conventional manner, for any suitable purpose. It affords an improved means for producing marginal or other uniform stripes upon any suitable surface, and its structure may be suitably modified for any desired use.

I claim:

1. A fountain brush comprising a reservoir adapted to serve also as a handle, and an applicator connected therewith and characterized by a scoop-shaped member having a closed end provided with a port in communication with, and adapte-dto convey fluid from, said reservoir to the body cavity of said applicator, the other end of said applicator having a mouth defined by upright side walls and a flat lip, and an applicator brush member formed of absorbent material having a body portion occupying a substantial portion of saidbody cavity, and a tongue portion protruding over saidlip and adapted to be trailed over the surface to be treated, said fountain brush being further characterized by having said felted applicator member constituted by a block of felt cleft rearwardly to'receive fluid from said reservoir port and by having a conduit extending directly so from said reservoir port into said cleft.

2. A fountain. brush comprising a reservoir adaptedto serve also as a handle, and an applicator connected therewith and characterized by a scoop-shaped member having a closed end provided with a port in communication with, and

adapted to convey fluid from, said reservoir to the body cavity of said applicator, the other end of said applicator having a mouth defined by upright sidewalls and a flat lip, and an applicator brush member formed of absorbent material having a; body portion occupying a substantialportion of said body cavity; and a tongue portion protruding over said lip and adapted to be trailed over the surface to be treated, said fountain brush being further characterized by. having said felted applicator member constituted by a block of felt cleft rearwardly to receive fluid from said reservoir port, and by having a conduit extending directly from, said reservoir port into said cleft and a valve means to control the flow of fluid through said conduit.

3. A fountain brush characterized by the elements combined and cooperating as set forth in claim 1, and further characterized by having the upper portion of said cleft'block folded back upon the lower portion thereof into position to serve as an upward extension of said tongue.

4:. A fountain brushcharacterizedby the elements combined and cooperating as set forth in 1110 claim 1, and further characterized by having the upper portion of said cleft block folded back upon the lower portion thereof into position to serve as an upward extension of saidtongue, the entire tongue-tip thus composed lying in a plane in- H5 eline'd at an angle to the bottom wall of said applicator.

5. A fountain brush characterized by the reservoir, applicator and felted brush and conduit elements combined and-cooperating as set forth in claim 1, said brush being further characterized by a cover membersuperimposed upon and con-' fining said cleft block, and a valve-controlling screw for said conduit havingfia head extending above said cover into position for manual opera- '25 tion, and adapted to serve as a removable retaining means for said cover.

6. A fountain brush comprising a reservoir adapted to serve also as a handle, and a hollow applicator connected with, and adapted toreceive 13.

fluid from, said reservoir, the other end of said applicator" having a mouth defined by upright side walls and a flat lip, and'an applicatorbrush member formed of absorbent material having a body portion occupying a substantial portion of 3:5 said hollow body, and a tongue portion protruding over said lip and adapted to be trailed over the surface tobe treated, said fountain brush being further characterized by a separately formed guide member mounted upon an exterior 40 side wall of said applicator, and means to secure the guide with its lower edge positioned below' theplane of the bottom wall of the applicator substantially in the manner'andfor the purposes set-forth. v T4 1 MAYLEGH' PILGRIM'.v 

